Konkani awareness programme begins

All India Konkani Sahitya Parishad, as part of the Konkani year this year, began a two-day Konkani awareness programme, here on Sunday.

Developing Konkani as a language and literary work were the main points discussed at the convention. Basti Waman Shenoy, J B Moras, Nagesh Harmale, Uday Bendre, former MLA, Goa and Tanaji Haldankar participated.

Speaking at a press conference Basti Shenoy said that the conventions were being conducted in places where Konkani population was more to create linguistic awareness.

Many people were showing interest in the language and participating actively in the conventions. The total population of Konkani speaking people was about 50 lakh of which 14 lakh were staying in Goa.

The parishad was organising the Akhil Bharatiya Konkani Sahitya Sammelana once in two years.

So far it had conducted 24 sammelanas, 9 in Karnataka, 7 in Mumbai, 2 in Kerala and the 25th conference would be held in Panaji, Goa, next year, Shenoy added.

Konkani became an independent language in 1976 and the state language of Goa in 1987. Indian Constitution accepted it as a national language in 1992.

Uday Bendre said the Goa University had started a post-graduate course in Konkani.

V V Shenoy was also present.